Patna, Feb 6 (IANS): The Bihar Education Department has warned the contractual teachers in the state against holding any protest against the competency examinations being conducted by it.

Education Department's Additional Chief Secretary K.K. Pathak cautioned the contractual teachers to avoid protesting against competency tests else they could face legal action and also lose their jobs.

Director, Education Department, Kanhaiya Prasad Srivastava in this regard wrote letters to all District Magistrates (DMs) in the state to take legal action against contractual teachers under relevant sections of the IPC if they participate in any kind of protest.

The contractual teachers earlier announced that they would gherao the Bihar Assembly on February 13 and register a protest against the Education Department's notification on the competency examination.

The Education Department has said that all contractual teachers in the state will have to clear the competency examination in a maximum of three attempts else they would lose their jobs.

The DMs were also asked to identify contractual teachers if they would take part in the protest. "As 13 February is a working day, if any contractual teacher would participate in the protest, it would be attributed to obstructing the educational process in schools. Hence, apart from legal action, they would also face the department inquiry," the Education Department said.